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Which to Upgrade first? My Amplifier or Speakers

I have owned a nice system for years, but I am hardly an audiophile.  You people impress me with your depth of knowledge of audio.  I've been following this site for some time.  This is my first post. 
From time to time I replace or upgrade components.  I've got a tricked out Linn Sondek LP 12 turntable.  I recently acquired a McIntosh MP 100 phono amp and am hearing LP's now that exceed anything I've heard on CD's and equal if not exceed the output of my SACD's.  I bring this up only to give a flavor of what I listen to.
The issue is as follows:  I have a McIntosh MC 206 Amp that I bought in 2003 that puts out 200 watts per channel.  I have no issues with it, although I've never had anything to compare it with.  I've read some impressive reviews of how much of a difference an amplifier can make to the quality of sound output.  For speakers I have Magnepan 3.6R's that I also bought in 2003.  I love them.  I can only afford to upgrade one at a time - let's say in the neighborhood of 10 - 12K.  So,  I'd like to hear what this august body has to say about which I should upgrade first and why?  The amp or the speakers?  Thank you. 
normantaylor
rauliruegas
13,129 posts
 
Dear @normantaylor: I have first hand experiences with the JC-1s amps and agree that are great amps that could make those 20.7s really shines.

As the 20.7 second hand link I posted here a second hand Parasound amps:

https://www.ebay.es/itm/293336965255

R.
rikkipuu's avatar
rikkipuu
292 posts
 
A bad speaker can sound Ok with great equiptment.  A great speaker will not sound great with inferior equiptment.  Give the speaker the best signal you can and then upgrade the speaker.  

Start farthest away from the speaker.   Dedicated power lines.  One for the amplifier and one for the rest.  Power conditioning.  Really good power cords and interconnects.  Then the amplifier first.

I have Pass XA60.8's on my 3.7i's and they sound wonderful, bought them both used.  I was worried about not having enough power but I am over ear splitting volumes.  My room is over 20 x 20 and I dont appreciate any clipping or unpleasantness at the highest volume I am comfortable listening to.  I had a Class D with over 1000 watts at 4 ohms, it made the walls shake but the musicality falls apart at loud volumes.  I have a dedicated power line for each monoblock.  Purchases used Wywire Platinum power cords for the amps and pre-amp another nice bump in Sound Quality.  As Ivor at Linn would say "garbage in equals garbage out"
spinaker01
491 posts
 
I’m with Mozartfan...speakers make the system. Easily proven. A great set of speakers (and a good room) fed from a ok mid fi CD player will still sound very good. You can’t fix crap speakers with a great front end. All of this of course in my opinion only.
dsper
664 posts
 
FWIW,

I tried to power Maggie 1.7's with a Mac integrated 6300 at 100 wpc and it was bland. I tried a Krell 300Si at 150 wpc and it regularly shut down because it could not handle the panels.

I powered Maggie 3.6's  with a W4S ST 1000 (500 wpc) and  it played loud but did not control the panels. I switched to a Coda amp at 300 wpc and it was much, much better. I added a Magnepan bass panels and then gave up. 

I switched to Thiels (3.6's and then 5.0's). Just better bass and heft to my ear.

If you like the Maggies, get a strong amp that doubles down. 

Just my opinion.

Thanks for listening,

Dsper
tweak1
3,736 posts
 
As an X maggie owner 3.5Rs, I do not believe they are your weak link. An incredible amp that should knock your socks off with them or just about any other speaker is Ric Schultz EVS 1200. I have a Agon thread if you care to investigate. I wish I had this amp when I had the 3.5Rs

thread: Life with RIc Schultz EVS 1200

hth
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